Exploring Saint Paul's historic district

The Winter Carnival, a tradition since 1886, is the oldest winter festival in the U.S. It was a response by local business owners to newspaper reports that the cold made the state virtually uninhabitable, and was designed to show off the beauties, and fun, of a Minnesota winter.

The legend of the Winter Carnival centers around King Boreas, God of the Winds, and the Queen of Snows, who are holding court in St. Paul. They’re challenged by Vulcanus Rex, the God of Fire, Boreas’ implacable enemy. Boreas proclaims Carnival in St. Paul for ten days, and on the final day Vulcanus Rex storms Boreas’ ice castle. Not wanting to incite violence, Boreas retreats back to Olympus to dwell among the other gods there, and waits for ice and snow to enrobe St. Paul again next year.

This story is acted out every year, with the courts of King Boreas, his brother winds, their princesses, and court officials, and Vulcanus Rex and his followers, and proceeds with the proper pomp and ceremony.

The nexus of the carnival is Rice Park, located downtown St. Paul, where the ice sculptures are carved and displayed. This year there’s also a mini ice palace, made of 400 blocks of ice, an ice bar, and live music. Elsewhere are parades, the Snow Park with all sorts of fun family activities, the Disc Golf Ice Bowl, a snow plow competition, a cat show, and a winter run.

And then there’s the Treasure Hunt. Daily clues appear in the St. Paul Pioneer Press, and if you decode them correctly they point the way to the medallion’s hiding place and a fair amount of money. Otherwise you get fresh air, exercise, and the joy of the hunt. This is a very popular tradition, with thousands of people participating and some very active online forums debating the minutiae of the clues. You can see evidence of the searchers’ enthusiasm in the missing piece of the Medallion above.

As the summer winds down, it is time to think of the beginning of school. There are many colleges nearby: Macalester, Hamline, St Catherine’s, St. Thomas, Concordia, Metro University, St. Paul College, the University of Minnesota. Cathedral B&B is continually the place where students and their parents come while the moving in process takes place. It is nice and calm here, a good place to rest as you go about “emptying your nest”.

A great place to visit when you are doing your scavenger hunt for Cathedral Hill B&B is the Minnesota Historical Society. You will undoubtedly take a walk down Summit Avenue, and the historical society is just east of the Cathedral of St. Paul on the extension of Summit Avenue called Kellogg Boulevard. It is a great place to visit because you can take in the special exhibits, and the permanent collection is wonderful too.

The new operas for the 2009-2010 season have been posted for the Minnesota Opera. Why not try one of the fabulous offerings: The Pearl Fishers, Casanova’s Homecoming, Roberto Devereaux, La boheme or Salome. Then make a reservation at Cathedral Hill B&B for your pampered (we do spoil people!) lodging because the B&B is only 10 minutes from the Ordway where the operas will be performed.

This weekend it is going to be very hot and just in time for the annual Irish Fair at Harriet Island, a short 5-10 minute drive from Cathedral Hill Bed and Breakfast. If you are from St. Paul you know that there was a significant Irish population immigrating here at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century. The Irish Fair is free, so be sure to meander on down to take in some Irish dancing.

F. Scott Fitzgerald was born in Saint Paul, and he was born in the year Cathedral Hill Bed and Breakfast was built. Of course 488 Holly was a single family dwelling then and not a bed and breakfast. Fitzgerald lived in many places in this neighborhood and it is very fun to take a walking tour visiting the places where he lived. Here is a link to the walking tour. So, while the weather is nice, why not take the tour and look for some of our clues while you do so. Remember, you will get 15% off your stay if you get 15 of the 20 architectural pictures identified as to address.

We have big news this weekend at the bed and breakfast. Cathedral Hill Bed and Breakfast has just launched a new website. There is all the usual information about policies, rooms, rates, breakfasts but what makes it all so exciting is that we now show you the blog and our Facebook page is integrated too. This means, there are many ways to learn about the specials we run, the contests we are involved in and also what is going on around town.

Be sure to plan to come to Saint Paul during state fair time. It is the last rite of summer, and a great get together. Whether you are a fan of the animal barns and enormous boar, the midway, the creative activities or a special show, plan to be here sometime between August 27 through September 7. Cathedral Hill Bed and Breakfast still has some rooms open during that time too!

The clues are almost half posted. A hint on this one. Cass Gilbert was a famous architect who designed a lot of houses around Ramsey Hill. This one was built for his mother-in-law.

This week we went strawberry picking at Afton Apple/Strawberry patch. The guests at Cathedral Hill B&B were lucky to get brand fresh strawberries for breakfast one morning and fresh strawberry syrup on waffles another.

If you are staying at Cathedral Hill Bed and Breakfast on July 10, 11, 16,17 or 18, it might be a lot of fun to go the Como Park (about a ten minute drive from here) and go see The Music Man at the pavillion. The tickets are only $10 and the outside venue is just delightful.